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Sedgwick was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the second of five children born to Henry Dwight Sedgwick II (1824–1903) and Henrietta Ellery Sedgwick (1829–1899). On his paternal grandmother's side, he was part of the New England Dwight family.[1] His paternal grandfather was Theodore Sedgwick. He had an older sister, Jane Minot (1859-1918), and three younger brothers, Theodore (1863–1951), Alexander "Aleck" (1867–1929) and Ellery Sedgwick.[2]

On November 8, 1895, Sedgwick married Sarah May Minturn, daughter of Robert Bowne Minturn, Jr. (part owner of the Flying Cloud clipper ship) and Susanna (née Shaw) Minturn (Susanna was the sister of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw) at St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church in New York City.[3] The couple had four children: Henry Dwight "Halla" IV (1896–1914), Edith Minturn (1901–1901), Robert Minturn (1899–1976), and Francis Minturn Sedgwick (1904–1967). Their only daughter, Edith, died the day after her birth. Their eldest son Henry IV (known as Halla) died of pneumonia at the age of 17.[4] Sarah May Minturn died of a stroke in 1919.[5]
Robert Minturn Sedgwick was a Harvard Crimson football athlete, as was his father, who started at left tackle for two teams—1919 and 1920—that defeated Yale, the 1919 team named national champions.[6] The elder Sedgwick lettered in the 1878 season, his son Robert, at left tackle, lettered in the 1919 and 1920 seasons.[7]

He is also a paternal great-grandfather to actress Kyra Sedgwick, whose father is Henry Dwight Sedgwick V. Henry V is the son of Sedgwick's second oldest son Robert and his first wife Helen Peabody (1890–1948), daughter of Endicott Peabody.